Resonant Nonperturbative Extreme Nonlinear Optics with Two-Cycle Pulses: Carrier-Wave Rabi Flopping and Role of the Carrier–Envelope Offset Phase

Abstract

Carrier-wave Rabi flopping occurs when the Rabi frequency becomes comparable to the light frequency, while maintaining electronic coherence. Exciting the model semiconductor GaAs, which has a band-gap period of 2.9 fs, with optical pulses which are both extremely short (5 fs) and extremely intense (estimated Rabi periods < 3 fs), we can meet this highly unusual condition. After reviewing corresponding experimental data, we compare the experiments with model calculations, especially focusing on the dependence of this example of resonant nonperturbative extreme nonlinear optics on the carrier-envelope offset phase.